In conventional cricket board games, the outcome of each play is determined using dice and decision cards (i.e., Gerrand et al, GB 2 172 512 and Hooper GB 2 184 028), etc.
In a conventional cricket board game which involves the use of a ball instead of dice, such as Francis et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,767, the game is played using a game board with playing members which are moved by horizontal rod mechanisms along a slotted track, so that the playing members can manipulate a small puck or ball using an object manipulating portion pivotally connected to the main upwardly extending body portion of the playing member. In Francis et al, the ball can be struck or rolled towards the batsman by means of a movable striking member, which is in the form of a pin member.
However, Francis et al, like the other conventional cricket board games, does not allow the participation of each player in the way that a real cricket game is played.
Thus, the cricket board games such as those of Gerrand et al and Hooper suffer from the disadvantages of utilizing dice and decision cards which are complex and lose the spontaneity of a real cricket game; whereas, the manipulated playing members of cricket board games such as those in Francis et al, are provided in a complex mechanical apparatus that is costly to produce.